Keir Starmer has promised to "fight fire with fire" against Conservative attacks this year, setting up what is likely to be one of the longest and most bruising general election campaigns in recent history.
The Labour leader said yesterday he would not shy away from aggressive campaign tactics, hours after the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, indicated he planned to go to the polls in the second half of 2024.
"If the government want to put fire into their attacks, we will meet their fire with fire, because the stakes at this election are so high for working people," Starmer told Sky News after his new year speech in Bristol.
"They will go low," he added.
"What I'm saying is if they want to go with fire into this election, we will meet their fire with fire."
Labour and the Tories are sharpening their attacks on each other before the campaign to come. Sunak gave his clearest indication yet of the election date yesterday, saying it was his "working assumption" that he would call it later in the year, following weeks of speculation that he might do so in May instead.
"I want to keep going, managing the economy well and cutting people's taxes, but I also want to keep tackling illegal migration," Sunak said. "I've got lots to get on with and I'm determined to keep delivering for the British people."
Labour officials dismissed Sunak's comments as misdirection, insisting they would continue planning for a spring election. "Nothing has changed," said a senior party official.
"Sunak doesn't want to tie himself in. But if my son told me his working assumption was that he would get his homework done today, I would not take that seriously."
Starmer accused Sunak of "squatting in Downing Street for months on end, dithering and delaying while the country wants change".
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